


Say It Back, Mac

by orphan_account



Series: The "Saw You Say It" 'verse [5]
Category: Criminal Minds
Genre: ASL, Ableism, American Sign Language, Bay, Cute, Deaf, Deaf Culture, Fluff, M/M, Sign Language, Sweet, accidental ableism, deafie power, interpreter
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-04-09
Updated: 2015-04-14
Packaged: 2018-03-22 00:03:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 4
Words: 2,909
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3708019
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Hotch is thinking like a boss when he decides to go against Spencer's past opinions and hires an interpreter. Spencer and Morgan are both in negative view of anything that singles Spencer out, but when he arrives, Mac Langdon is quickly realised to be the tool that Spencer's been missing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

'You think sorry is enough?' Spencer's face was pure annoyance as he burst into the room, satchel strap gripped tightly, and headed straight for the coffee machine. 

'I hope it is. I'm genuine, Spencer. I'm sorry. It was just a slip up. I wasn't thinking.' Derek's hand circled strongly on his chest over and over between frantic signs and apologetic expressions of love. 

Spencer curled his top lip. 'Do you ever?' 

'That's not fair.' Derek tutted as he brushed off Spencer's diss.

Spencer abandoned his coffee for a moment and swung to Derek, hands moving frantically, fingers slapping and whispered words escaping his lips. 'And ignoring me for two hours isn't? I didn't want to go out, it was your night. I went for you and you couldn't even sign for me.' 

Derek tapped Spencer's shoulder when he turned back to fixing himself coffee and begged for his attention. 'I'm sorry! Spencer, how many times do I need to repeat it? I'm very sorry, I wasn't thinking - I loosened up too much and pushed you aside. I was wrong. I'm sorry, I'm sorry. I'm sorry.'

 

Only as Spencer stalked away, inadequate coffee in hand, did Morgan realise that Rossi and Hotch were stood with Emily at her desk, all three absorbed in the speechless but graphic and somewhat loud argument that danced through their bodies and facial expressions wildly. 

"Lovers quarrel?" Emily smiled as Derek approached, sliiping his jacket off his shoulders as he walked. 

"We went to that reunion thing with a few of my cop friends. Spence was up for it, but I neglected him a bit and got a bit merry and now he's pissed at me." Derek explained over a sigh. Emily smiled softly.

"Really bad mood?" Hotch asked carefully.

Derek smirked. "With me, at least." He nodded. "Why?" 

"I need to discus something with him - I'm pretty sure he isn't going to like it but it's a pretty necessary change." Hotch rubbed his hand across his chin. Derek watched Rossi suddenly take interest in his own feet and gave a sigh of registered annoyance.

"You're getting him a terp." He said, bluntly. 

Dave looked up. "It's a requirement." 

"My ass!" Morgan snapped. 

Hotch held out his hands to placate the brewing anger. "Morgan, it is. Spencer does well, and we've all got to certain levels with him and it's a good thing - but it isn't perfect and it holds us back, as well as holds him back. The interpreter is a way of full involvement from the off. All office hours will see Spencer's informative needs met by the interpreter; his name is Mac. He'll be here at lunchtime today to meet you and Reid, and he'll begin tomorrow."

Morgan shook his head. "Why now?" He raised his brows, certain he didn't need confirmation to his thoughts.

"Morgan, it isn't just David. Reid needs full inclusion on cases, and we need to work quickly. An interpreter will make sure this happens." Emily chimed in. "You listening and then relaying to Spencer means you miss whatever comes next, leaving you ill informed. An interpreter's job is to be bilingual and open to listen and speak almost at the same time. It is going to be so much better all round." 

"No, it is going to leave Spencer feeling like he stepped off the short bus." Derek corrected and pulled a disgruntled face. "Break the news." He looked at Hotch. "Today, this is all he needs."

"It's not a personal attack, Derek!" Hotchner spoke out. "Mac Langdon is an expert, he is ex-Military with a Deaf wife and son. He is submerged in Deaf culture, he has a policing and military background and he's a really nice guy. Spencer's going to like him; he reminds me of Gideon a little."

"So hire Gideon to sign with Spence!" Derek raised his voice a little, not sure why he felt so passionate but aware that he did. "This guy doesn't know him, he's going to see him as some weird kid and that's not who Spencer is." 

David shook his head. "I know Mac." He said calmly. "He's going to love Spencer." 

Derek shrugged, admitting defeat. "Suppose we'll see."


	2. Chapter 2

Spencer's expression was as bluntly obvious as Morgan had anticipated when Hotch explained his plan to the young doctor. Vocal in expressing his annoyance, Spencer made his stance clear: the last thing he wanted was a neon sign to his differences shining any brighter than it already did. For his part, Hotch understood why Reid felt as he did but their job was vitally important - he needed everyone on the same page, at the same time.

Spencer all but ignored everyone throughout the morning, nestled in the corner surrounded by a mountain of files. Morgan kept him fuelled by coffee, slowly lowering the young man's anger, and eventually coaxed him out of his burrow when Hotch indicated that Mac was arriving. 

Mac Langdon was not physically what Reid had expected. No taller than five ten, he was average and aging, with salt and pepper hair and a greying Van Dyke that was neatly trimmed. He smiled and waved a hello at everyone after he removed his zip-up jacket to reveal a smart, tailored shirt that was tucked into dressy, navy pants. 

He was athletic in his build but far from sleek, and he had a kindly face that belied his militant background. Mac, short for Macaulay, looked nothing like a serviceman and more like a gentle family man. 

"Good to see you again, Mac." Hotch signed as he spoke, careful to flick eye contact between Spencer and Mac. 

"You too." Mac countered in a broad New York accent. "Spencer?" He spelled as he turned to Doctor Reid. "Good to meet you at last, Aaron and David have told me so much about you." 

Spencer met his greeting with a nervous smile, "you too." He vocalised as he signed. Hotch watched Mac for his reaction to Spencer's tone and was pleasantly surprised to see an appreciative smile on his face. "This is my partner, Derek." He introduced Morgan with his name sign. 

Mac extended his hand and Derek reciprocated a firm handshake. "Nice to meet you." Derek said quietly. 

"Likewise." Mac nodded.

"How about we settle in my office and you can get to know one another a little better." Hotch said, hands in his pockets, and made a mental note of approval as both Derek and Mac signed his verbal request to Spencer. 

 

The air conditioning in Hotch's office blew cool air into Spencer's face as he eyed up his new colleague - his new voice. He loitered awkwardly in the middle of the office as Mac and Derek exchanged brief niceties before Derek placed his hand in the small of Spencer's back and drew him close. 

"Spencer," Mac began, "Tell me a bit about yourself, and feel free to ask what you need to about me. I'm an open book." He smiled sincerely. Derek felt the vibe instantly that Hotch had mentioned; there was something peaceful about him, similar to how there had been about Gideon. 

"Like what?" Spencer asked, deep voice cracking over the T. 

"Your work, your study... Whatever you want me to know." Mac raised his bows and paused his hands a moment. "This doesn't have to be awkward; I know you're probably looking at me as another thing to make you stand out but I'm really only here to help, to make work run as smoothly as possible for you."

"It does run smoothly." Spencer's hands cut through the air. 

Derek touched Spencer's arm. "Spence, come on." 

"I'm here to make sure you're included fully." Mac explained fluidly. "To make sure your point is heard just as loudly and clearly as everyone else's."

"What do you want to know?" Spencer asked, his body relaxing slightly into Derek's touch. "I'm Deaf, gay, a genius..." He listed and then gave a faint smile. 

Mac laughed. "You're young to be in this field; I'm sure your intelligence is an important asset to this team."

"I hope so." Spencer voiced.

"Absolutely." Hotch affirmed quickly. 

"I'm not here to make you feel like the token joke. I want you to know I'm just here to make sure information reaches you accurately, and is passed from you to your team accurately, so that your job is done right. I'm here for you, to assist you, not to speak for you - I'll be precise and discreet." Mac vowed honestly. 

Spencer contemplated his promise and nodded. "Thank you."

"Mac will meet you every morning for office hours, and he'll accompany us on cases. He will be with you for all work hours." Hotch explained to Spencer carefully. "He isn't here to work as part of the BAU, merely an extension of you, understand?" 

Spencer nodded his head. "I got it." As his index finger shot up at the side of his face, Derek breathed a sigh of relief, safe in the knowledge that Spencer at least appeared accepting.


	3. Chapter 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Apologies for any blatant typos.

Mac's integration into the workday was difficult for Spencer during the first week - he would still lip read and instinctively look to Derek for confirmation and understanding. Mac would simply touch his shoulder to attract his attention and fluidly relay, word for word, what the team was discussing. Spencer became easily agitated with Mac, and the team, and would vocally join in conversations which would further halt discussions as he clarified and repeated his way through his colleagues ideas. 

After four days of clumsiness, Mac approached Spencer at his desk as he prepared to leave for the evening and lightly touched his forearm. "Busy?"

Spencer shook his head. 

"Can we talk?" Mac asked hopefully. 

"Why?" Spencer threw the sign sharply. 

Mac took a steady breath and pulled Derek's chair over to perch beside Spencer more levelly. "You hate me being here, you hate the Deaf discussion that goes on in the background while your team vocalise and innovate with oral quips and fast-changing talks. You feel like I'm leaving out the good bits, dumbing it down, leaving you out. I promise, I'm not. Everything they say, I say to you. Verbatim. You don't need to assert yourself into the conversation vocally because everything you say to me goes straight back to them, word for word Spencer." 

"I never had to use a buffer before." Spencer looked frankly at Mac, a bit lost. "If signs failed, I spoke." 

Mac nodded, "my son Jack is like that. He refuses any interpretation. But when it came to exams and things got complicated and more important, he had to hang up his Deafie pride and suspend a little of his reassurance on an interpreter to make sure he got the same level of information as everyone else. That's all this is - I'm not here to dumb down or to shush you, just to make sure you get all the information they get, and that they get all of your input, not just the bits they can haphazardly make out." 

Spencer smiled. "Thank you."

"Your speech is good." Mac complimented. "You had speech therapy?"

Spencer shook his head, "Not really." 

"You do well." Mac nodded his head. "You never considered CI?" 

"No." Spencer shook his head, frowning firmly. "I like being deaf."

Mac smiled softly as he contemplated Spencer's response. He'd never really considered if he 'liked being hearing' but to him, not being hearing would be a frightening prospect. Being submerged in Deaf culture by proxy was one thing; Mac wasn't sure he could be as well adjusted as his wife, and son, and indeed Spencer if he were to lose his hearing. 

Mac was about to broach a new conversation, anything to get used to Spencer's dips and flows, when Derek stepped up behind Spencer and snaked his arm around his back. 

Spencer turned his head and smiled brightly at Derek. "Hey." He mouthed. 

"Wanna go?" Derek signed lazily. 

As Spencer nodded, the team around them froze as JJ called out across the rails. "Guys! Conference room in five minutes." Spencer frowned at Derek's sudden switch in attention and looked to Mac with a frown. 

"What's going on?" 

Mac pointed to JJ as she walked on with Hotch. "Conference room in five minutes." He explained. "And then Derek - 'are you fucking kidding me?'."

Spencer smiled. "I like you."

 

Gathered in the conference room, hopes of a quiet weekend at home suspended, the team waited patiently for JJ to brief them on what was clearly something she found important. 

"Sorry." JJ said as she stepped into the room, closing the door behind her. "I'm sure everyone had plans." 

As quickly as she spoke, Mac ensured Spencer was up to speed. 

"There's been a string of murders in California. The PD thought they had it down and now they've worked out a link, lining the killer up as a potential suspect for previous murders too. The latest was a thirty three year old mom of three from Palo Alto."

"Palo Alto." Spencer repeated verbally, clarifying Mac's fingerspelling as JJ spoke. 

Mac and JJ nodded; "third in the same area." JJ elaborated.

"We're heading out?" Emily asked.

"You and David are." Hotch supplied, "To Palo Alto. I want Reid and Morgan to join me in Los Angeles: before our mid-thirties mom was killed where the money is, three young women were murdered in a similar pattern in LA." 

"Similar or the same?" Mac's accent was a strange new sound to their usual discussions and everyone turned to look at him. Spencer's hands flew wildly and then paused, after a moment Mac nodded and spoke again. "Hotch, you said 'murdered in a similar pattern', was it similar or was it the same?"

Hotch faltered a moment before making a mental note: that was quick. "The same." He replied, "except for a tiny difference. The women killed in Palo Alto were all in their thirties, the ladies in LA were mid-twenties. The old pattern was similar too." 

"You said similar again." Derek commented, smirking. 

JJ picked up the line. "The only variable was location last time; the age and place differences now were reversed in comparison to the past murders - younger women in Palo Alto, older in LA."

"That signature is too vague." Mac spoke up, eyes on Spencer as he signed with fluid expression. "Age and place, flipping it. Is there anything else? How are you even sure it's the same person - it's a five hour trip." Mac looked at the team when Spencer dos, waiting for answers. 

"The PD is sure they're linked." JJ said and shrugged her shoulders. "Maybe we can go and find out how?" 

"Wheels up in twenty minutes - David, Prentiss, the jet will take you on to Palo Alto after we stop over in LA." Hotch announced. "Be ready to go."

David watched as the team scattered for their ready bags, watching Mac and Spencer converse easily. He smiled at one side of his mouth and broadened it when Spencer caught his eye. 

"Ready to go?" He asked, signing 'go'. 

"Yes." Spencer spoke. "You ready?" He turned to Mac. 

Mac nodded, "Hotch let me know all the ins and outs, I'm prepared."

Morgan smirked. "You're never prepared. One thing you can be really never be prepared for, though, is that Spencer here is going to talk your hands off the whole flight!"


	4. Chapter 4

Morgan and Reid slipped comfortably into window seats, with Mac sitting opposite, and buckled their belts for take off as everyone boarded the flight. 

"Stormy." Spencer nodded to the window at the rain and wind outside that they'd just ran through. 

"The flight is gonna suck." Derek drew down the corners of his mouth and then laughed. 

"At least we can look forward to the LA weather." Spencer considered. "Sunshine, heat, cloudless sky." The joyful expressions on Spencer's face as he signed made Derek smile.

He nodded his agreement and added, "All of that, while we investigate homicides."

Mac chuckled, "Have either of you visited LA recreationally?" He asked. 

Derek nodded, "Frequently." 

"We spent a week in LA for a case last year and then took a week of leave immediately after." Spencer elaborated. 

"Nice." Mac nodded his approval. "California is my wife's home state, my son is keen to move as soon as possible."

Derek appreciated that Mac was verbal as he signed but he was able to follow him either way, despite noticing how quickly he and Spencer could converse. Derek had always felt secure in his ASL abilities but he realised how much slang he and Spencer used when he watched Mac's sleek and precise signs meet Spencer's.

As Hotch boarded the jet, quiet fell among the team as they settled for take off. Once in the air, Hotch was quick to gather them and discuss the case further. He paused infrequently, occasionally glancing at Mac, and felt comfortable to speak without holding back tones and altering his syntax. Mac kept Spencer immediately in the loop and Spencer input his knowledge easily and openly. 

As Hotch insisted his team take the remainder of the flight to relax or review, Emily caught him for a moment to compliment him on his positive move for the team. 

"Mac is great - Spence is rolling." She grinned as she fixed herself and Hotch a coffee. 

Glancing at his team, Hotch had to agree. "I think Mac is going to be the complete vocal making of Reid."


End file.
